Mai's Last Day
by hiyoki-chaan
Summary: Mai couldn't imagine leaving Japan, foreigners would tease and taunt her plus she can't even speak English! Then what happens when a fair-haired boy her age buys her and attempts to bring her back to his home country?
1. Chapter 1

**hiyoki-chaan ^ ^  
**

**Mai's Last Day  
**

**Chapter One  
**

The dream she saw on the morning of her final day, it was a fairly common type of dream. It was a dream of flying

through the sky. An amazing feeling of slicing through the air pushed her to climb higher and higher and closer to

the limits of the sky. But suddenly a mysterious feeling wandered into her thoughts and lingered longer than they

should have. Normally, in a flying dream, this was the part where without a doubt, she would start to plummet

toward the earth and then awaken.

In her dream that day, she could've flown anywhere, rising infinitely, feeling as free as anyone could feel with her

speed accelerating endlessly. With blistering speed similar to a shooting star whizzing across the summer sky, she

soared into sky-scraping heights and then outstretched her arms and hands toward the stars above her. But as

she reached for the sparkling stars, her fingers already grazing the warm glow of the luminescent constellations,

she realized that she had exceeded the boundaries of the sky. She lost her momentum and tumbled back into the

cold embrace of harsh reality. But before touching the rocky terrain below her, she closed her eyes with anguish.

Her dreams had always ended like that.

And then Mai would open her eyes and see the cool blue light that flooded her room. Through the window Mai

could see the sapphire sky forever stretching over the long canvas of the earth. Seagulls aviated around the

clouds that gracefully glided by in the gentle breeze. Quiet chatter was detected through the thin, shoji doors.

The beautiful dawn sun cast a large reflection across the crystal clear seawater only to be distorted when a cruise

ship slowly sailed by. The pale sandy beach lay before the ocean while the waves softly lapped against the shore.

Towering palm trees proudly swayed in the wind. The sun gently warmed the room and an easy-going feeling

enveloped Mai. She relaxed and settled against the wall. She thought today was going to be fun, maybe even simple. This is

how her final day began.


	2. Chapter 2

**hiyoki-chaan ^ ^  
**

**Mai's Last Day**

**Chapter Two**

"Mai! Get out of bed already! Training starts early remember?" Mai's guardian, Kaida yelled. "_Hai!_ Just let me relax for a moment!" The paper-thin door slammed open. "Relax? Mai, you're a full-grown woman now, you need to learn how to preform basic house chores. You can't even make rice without help! What man will take you as wife if he cannot rely on you?" Kaida yanked the futon off of Mai who was huddled in a ball. Mai rubbed her eyes and sat up. "What's the rush, Kaida?" Mai sleepily asked. Before Mai could receive an answer, Kaida lifted Mai up by her arms and dragged her across the room toward her closet. In a flurry of Kaida's arms and hands, several yukata colors and designs were placed in front of her. Kaida would frown in disagreement with every other yukata until she placed a pure white yukata with turquoise, green and light blue flowers neatly stitched onto the fabric. With a look of satisfaction, Kaida tossed the clothing at Mai's face. "Dress yourself and hurry outside. A _yankee_ is calling for you personally." Kaida paused and whispered, "He looks rich Mai, don't screw up." Kaida whisked out of the room and downstairs to greet the young man. "I just became a geisha already got a customer?" Mai wondered aloud. It couldn't be possible, getting a customer this early, especially at the Kekashi Ryokon.

See, Mai was the daughter of the famous Kai Kakashi, re-owned owner of his famous ryokons that were established world-wide. His wife, Mai's _omaa_ was astoundingly beautiful, and Mai had thankfully attained that same beauty. But, Mai's _omaa_ had died giving birth to Mai, and Mai's _opaa_ had resented her existence ever since. He quickly placed her into the Kekashi Ryokon and assigned Kaida to Mai since the age of two.

Unfortunately Mai was forced to become a geisha since her beauty was like no other. She couldn't fight her father's decision, although she tried running away a few times only to be brutally lectured by Kaida.

Mai, as soon as she could, rushed out of her room, down the stairs and as she approached the last few steps, she slowed her pace so as to look like a 'graceful lady.' When she reached the ground floor, she was pulled aside by her best friend Nana.

"Mai! Who's the _yankee_?" Nana suspiciously hissed. "I don't know! Do you?" Mai snapped back. "No, but I hope you didn't get into trouble again." Nana relaxed against the wall. "I hope so, too." Mai sighed back. "What if you're going to be bought again? I can't live here without you, Mai!" Nana suddenly exclaimed. "They can never buy me, Nana. Don't worry so much. No matter what, I have _opaa's_ name under my thumb." Mai winked. "_Aigoo…_" Nana sighed. "Hey I have to meet him before Kaida comes after me again. See you tonight, Nana." Mai waved Nana goodbye and shuffled down the hallway. "Mai! Don't be too polite to that _yankee! _Remember what happened!" Nana hollered after her.

Mai quietly slid the sliding door open and close. "Mai! Your late!" Kaida exclaimed. "_Gomei…"_ Mai bowed her head in apology. "It's not a problem, please, come and sit." A deep voice resonated from behind Kaida.

Mai meekly scurried across the room and plopped down onto the floor into a proper Japanese stance. Mai quietly slid the sliding door open and close. "Mai! Your late!" Kaida exclaimed. "_Gomen asai…"_ Mai bowed her head in apology. "It's not a problem, please, come and sit." A deep voice resonated from behind Kaida. Mai noted that the man's Japanese was nearly fluent. Mai glanced upward to see her caller. A man uniformly dressed in a suit sat before her. His eyes were crystal clear blue and he had wavy, soft, blond hair. Mai awed in amazement. With relief, she breathed a mental sigh. _At least he's my age,_ Mai thought.

"I'm sorry for Mai's being so late." Kaida quickly patched over. "She's new at this."

"It's not a problem. She's perfect, as you said earlier, Kaida. Please, pack her things; we'll be leaving this afternoon." The young man coolly smoothed over. Mai snapped to attention. "Leave? Kaida, wh-where am I going?" Mai's eyes frightfully widened.


	3. Chapter 3

**hiyoki-chaan ^ ^  
**

**Mai's Last Day**

**Chapter Three  
**

"Leave? Kaida, wh-where am I going?" Mai's eyes frightfully widened. "Hush, child. I'll explain when we pack your things." Kaida brushed Mai off. "Don't worry, Mai. I'll take good care of you." The young man tried to comfort her. "Take care of me? I am fine where I am, why must I leave with you when you are a complete stranger? I don't even know your name!" Mai boldly screamed. Mai stood and glared at the man. "And Kaida! Why would you do this to me, when you know my history with people like _him_?" Mai pointed at the man. "Mai! Behave yourself!" Kaida stood up and yelled at Mai. "I won't idly sit by and watch this happen to me, Kaida." Mai briskly turned away and out of the room. Kaida quickly turned to apologize to man but he held his hand up to stop her. "It's quite alright. I didn't expect her to accept me so quickly either way." The man paused for a moment and spoke again. "I'm sure she'll warm up to me, Kaida." Kaida smiled in agreement. "Yes, you _are_ a charming young man, Mr. Rae, but may I ask, why Mai? We have a better selection of woman in our humble ryokon." Kaida questioned.

Mr. Rae smiled. "Mai's different from all the others." "Different my ass, Mai just probably got herself in trouble again." Kaida mumbled as she walked out of the room. "Nana! Where's Nana?" Kaida spotted Mai frantically runnin around the house. The weather-beaten woman sighed. Mai had a tough time just getting used to the ryokon. How would she suffice in a separate country? Would her _opaa_ really let her leave? Kaida thought as she watched Mai disappear upstairs.

"Nana! Where's Nana?" Mai stopped to ask the head chef. "She just finished cooking the rest of today's _onigiri_." The chef replied. "Do you know where she went?" Mai panted. "I believe she went to tidy the girls' rooms." The chef thoughtfully replied. Mai sprinted off toward the rooms. If she was going to leave this afternoon, it wasn't going to be with that man, and Mai wasn't going to leave Nana stay here by and fend for herself. "Nana? Are you here?" Mai hastily slid the door open to find Nana neatly folding a _futon_ for one of the newer girls. "Mai, what's wrong? How'd it go?" Nana set down the yukata. Mai's eyes clouded with tears. "I'm leaving today, Nana." Nana's eyes widened. "What! Mai, your leaving me? But you promised!" Nana cried with hysteria lacing the edges of her voice. "I know, but I think there's a way out of this. I'm supposed to pack and leave this afternoon, but I'd rather die than leave with him. I definitely won't leave you here by yourself, so would you want to come with me?" Mai hoped for a positive answer. "I dunno, Mai. Leaving the ryokon? I know you've done it, but me?" Mai's hopes sunk. "But…" Nana continued, "I guess I should go. Why not?" Nana warmly smiled.

"Nana you're my best friend!" Mai hugged Nana tightly. "But let's hurry before Kaida comes to check on us." Mai ushered Nana into her room and Mai turned to run toward hers. Mai slid the door open and grabbed one of her only gifts from her _opaa_; backpack from America, a thing, golden necklace that had an intricate jade piece, and a silk pouch with about 78,492 yen. (1,000 U.S. dollars.) She shoved jeans and t-shirts (gifts from men who were previously infatuated with Mai,) into her bag, two yukatas and carefully wrapped the silky pouch in between the clothes. Mai ran out her room and across the hall into Nana's.

"Nana, you done?" Mai whispered. The door opened and Nana stepped out with her bag. "Yeah. You?" She replied. "I'm ready." I hitched the bag onto my shoulder. "Let's go."


	4. Chapter 4

**hiyoki-chaan  
**

**Mai's Last Day**

**Chapter Four**

Nana and Mai snuck through the ryokon just like when they were kids, scurrying like little mice, and unseen by anyone or anything. As children, Nana and Mai always tiptoed around the ryokon at night and watched one of the older geisha's graceful dances through the ryokon's attic skylight. It enchanted the two innocent girls, as they would sit for hours on the wooden planks, munching on _onigiri._

Every little creak caused the girls to stop in their tracks and twist and turn their head to see if anyone was coming to investigate. When the coast was clear, Mai would motion Nana forward and they would continue onward. Eventually, they reached the end of the hallway and slipped down the stairs soundlessly and with a small ray of hope and freedom, there sat the exit from the ryokon. "Nana, let's pick up the pace." The two girls started a slow jog across the creaky tatami mats and when they found no place where the boards _wasn't_ creaking, they decided just to book it out of the ryokon.

Right as Mai could feel the summer breeze grazing her cheek, Kaida stepped out of nowhere and Mai halted to a stop and Nana slammed into Mai's back. "Mai?" Nana peered around Mai and when Kaida turned to eye her, she made a little _eep_ sound and hid behind Mai.

"So. Girls." Kaida gestured for Mai to move aside so she can lecture both of them and the same time. Mai meekly stepped aside and drooped head, Nana following right behind. "Escaping the inevitable, Mai?" Kaida crisply asked Mai.

"N-no, Kaida. It's not what it looks li-" "_Gomen__ nasai _Kaida! Please forgive us!" Nana cried out. I clonked her on the back of her head. "Nana! Shut up!" I roughly whispered. Kaida raised her eyebrow at me and crossed her arms. I knew there was no way out of this. "Kaida, I don't want to leave. I have to go, whether you like it or not." I slowly explained.

Kaida stayed despondent for a moment then took a deep breath. "Mai…" she began, "Mai, I've been your guardian for years now and I know you're an independent girl. I'm surprised to say, I've grown much attached to you." Mai was taken aback. She realized that leaving the ryokon was going to hurt her more than she had previously imagined. "Kaida, I _have_ to go. You know that." Mai sighed. "I know. So before you leave, I want to give you this." Kaida held out her hand.

In it sat a golden ring, worn down from many years of use. It had small but intricate engravings lacing the sides and in the middle sat a milky white pearl, fused to the gold by little golden arms sticking out from the top. It shined in the sun and had a hardy, thin black rope looped around it. "One day, my brother went out clamming and he was cracking them open for the meat. There he found this pearl," Kaida pointed at the pearl in the ring, "and welded it onto a golden ring and gave it to me. I've never let anyone even touch it, but the day he gave it to me, I swore to only to give it to my daughter." Kaida took a deep breath and wheezed it back out. "Kaida, I can't take this. I'm not even your daughter." Mai pushed Kaida's hand back to her but Kaida refused to do so.

"Mai, you're the closet girl I've ever had to a daughter. Now that you're leaving, I realize that you _are_ my daughter. I hope I have been of the same influence on you as you have been on me." Kaida calmly reasoned. She pulled the rope over Mai's head and the ring flopped onto Mai's chest. Tears welled in Mai's eyes as Kaida stepped aside and allowed the two girls passageway outside. Mai turned to hug Kaida. "I love you, _omaa_." Mai softly whispered. Kaida choked back a sob as Mai and Nana retreated into the forest that surrounded the ryokon. "Goodbye, daughter." Kaida's words drifted in the wind and swirled into Mai's ears.

She held back her tears and continued running. There was no time for crying. Nana and her were now runaways and first thing's first. They had to find the nearest transportation out of Hiroshima.


End file.
